Okay, so don't start them on bassoons, but still have the baby bassoons available for when they switch. Tiny people who can't manage a real bassoon are still tiny as high school freshmen, right? The school can have one baby bassoon and one normal bassoon. No school needs more than two bassoonists at any given time.

Well, yes. Ooh, did I mention I also found one "romance novel" that was just an MCU AU fanfic that hadn't even had the serial numbers fully filed off? I think they were under the impression that because Loki is a mythological figure, no one would notice that they were trying to publish their weird self-insert fic. There was also a detective named Steve Rogers, because that's just a normal name for a normal guy to have, right? Not suspicious at all.

Pics or it didn't happen.

By the time you switch, you don't need a baby bassoon. And then we're right back where we started, because most people don't switch instruments.

No, you didn't mention that. That's terrible. How much money are they demanding for their trash?

You've never heard anyone proclaim their significant other is wine?

So finger spacing isn't a problem at all, because tiny people shouldn't get bassoons anyway. Sounds like the only issue here is no one wants to play your silly instrument.

They're giving it away free. Really, it's just a horrible choice of venue for distributing their fanfic. Maybe they think people who download it will then go on to buy one of their other books? Their other books that look like garbage?

That sounds like a one-sided relationship. Their significant other is wine, but wine has no significant other. It's not reciprocal. Wine has no feelings for them.

The GRFP proposal is due on Monday and aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh--

Until you get used to the fingering, it kinda hurts to make some of the stretches. And some bassoons have better reaches than others due to stupidity. And if you don't quite cover a hole, sometimes you just sound bad instead of the note not sounding.

Sure. Totally likely to buy garbage after receiving garbage for free. That's me. I love for-pay garbage.

You didn't say it had to be healthy. Just because they don't reciprocate doesn't mean they haven't been forced into the relationship.

Um. Maybe you should finish that? Or wait until next year. I think that's an option.

So the solution is colorful novelty bassoons, so people are too filled with delight to notice their fingers hurt and they sound bad.

Maybe it's the sunk-cost fallacy? You've gotten so practiced at wading through this person's garbage writing, it seems like a waste to let that skill go unused.

If that's the argument you're making for a liquid being in a relationship, I don't think I want to go there. I will remain a solitary liquid.

I'm almost done. Just waiting on John's approval of my final drafts, and then getting things punched into the website. Still kind of freaking out. AHHHHH.

That doesn't even work with novelty clarinets, and those are cheap.

Maybe all of their faults become endearing and you start to think of them as your literary ward.

Other issue: You are not a liquid. You are unable to flow into the shape of your container. Your molecules are much too friendly.

Did you finish the website punching yet? The GRFP site tends to go down on the due date, so make sure to get your things turned in promptly.

I repeat: Liquid is a state of mind, not a state of matter. Feel the liquid. Be the liquid.

Yeah, I got everything uploaded and submitted yesterday afternoon. So, now that I can't change anything no matter how much I want to, I'm freaking out and second-guessing myself a lot. It's fun! Whee! Nothing like a soul-strangling sense of dread and failure to top off an accomplishment.

My NaNo is not ready at all. I have a main character, half a setting, and enough plot points for maybe 1/8 of a story. And now I'm second-guessing some of my setting details that might not even be important to the plot.
How's yours coming along?

Has dad talked you into playing Lord of the Rings Online yet? He finally got me.

You're way too non-flexible to be a liquid. I disbelieve. You're just too lazy to look for a man.

I suggest writing down the second-guesses and then discarding them. They are worthless. Go eat a cookie or something.

You could... come up with more plot points? Do you want to brainstorm? Mine is okay. I could use some more time to put into it.

He has not. It looked like a cheap ripoff of WoW and I'm not interested unless you both really want me to play.

I got this and I don't really have a good place to wear it: https://www.spirithalloween.com/product ... ilIndex=15

Lazy? Petrified with fear of rejection while simultaneously petrified with fear of harassment? Generally unimpressed with the quality of men available? A liquid? All of the above?
Take your pick. All lead to the same outcome.

I will have a cookie. I bought some oreos. I forgot how robust the double-stuf were.

Come up with more plot points, you say, as if that's an easy thing to do. I want to brainstorm, but I don't really want to brainstorm over a text communication medium, because I'm too ashamed of my ideas to have them written down, especially in a public forum. They are silly and frivolous ideas.

It is in many ways a cheap WoW ripoff, but it is a very cheap WoW ripoff in that it is free. The UI is clunky, and the quests can be confusing, but so far I'm enjoying it. You don't need to hang out with us. We'll be cool and have fun without you.

Wear it anywhere. Wear it to the office. Wear it when you teach class. It's Halloween season, and Halloween is all about not needing an excuse to dress as a skeleton. It is a good dress. Wear it.

Speaking of costumes, your avatar doesn't look very festive.

You've rejected several of men. I'd say it's only fair. And if you're worried about harassment, just stick to in-person interactions and dress like me. I've never had any problems. Ever. #notmetoo

There, better? Eat your worries away!

You realize nobody knows or cares who you are here, right? You used that username for a reason.

As I said, I'll play it with you if it's because it's a together activity. I just don't want to play it alone.

I'll get to the avatar when I'm not in my office. Sheesh. And no dresses in the lab! Filthy earth scientist. Are you making a costume?